Still no request for proposals, price tag for Cuomo’s college-for-inmates plan

With the state budget due at the end of the month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration has yet to formally solicit requests from colleges interested in a much-debated plan to provide free courses to prisoners.

When Cuomo last month proposed to use state funds to pay for the program, his office signaled a formal request for proposals would be opened March 3. His office also hasn’t estimated how much the total program would cost in the budget.

A Cuomo spokesman said Friday evening the requests and the funding for the program were still being developed.

“We’re working with the Legislature on the funding issue, and we are in the process of finalizing the RFP, which will be ready in the near future,” said Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi.

Cuomo’s plan has been widely criticized, mostly by Republican lawmakers. Social-justice groups support it, agreeing with Cuomo that it would reduce recidivism rates and ultimately help keep prison costs down.

Cuomo did not include specific funding for the program in a series of amendments last month to his $137.2 billion budget proposal.

The governor’s office has estimated it would cost the state $5,000 per inmate that participates in the college program, which would be available at one prison in 10 separate regions of the state. The office hasn’t estimated, though, how many inmates it believes would participate.

“The governor’s plan doesn’t even have a price tag,” Sen. Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, said Friday. “With over 50,000 inmates in state prisons, this program could cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. That money could go to increased student aid, or reduced tuition at SUNY schools.”

2 Responses

If this Cuomo proposal is not dead now, it should be. It is not the job of the State to provide the criminals of this state with a college education. This is cost prohibitive, not to mention it did not work when it was tried in the 70’s and the 80’s.
Get real Cuomo.